Distribution exemption—distributions in respect of portfolio holdings

Produced in partnership with Michael McGowan
Practice notes

Distribution exemption—distributions in respect of portfolio holdings

Produced in partnership with Michael McGowan

Practice notes
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A non-Small company is subject to corporation tax on a Distribution received unless, among certain other requirements, the distribution falls within an exempt class.

There are five exempt classes of distribution:

  1. distributions in respect of Portfolio holdings, which is explained further in this Practice Note

  2. distributions from controlled companies

  3. distributions in respect of non-redeemable ordinary shares

  4. distributions derived from transactions not designed to reduce tax, and

  5. dividends in respect of shares accounted for as liabilities

For further information on the tax charge on distributions see Practice Note: How are non-small companies taxed on distributions received. For information on the exemptions applicable to small companies, see Practice Note: How are small companies taxed on distributions received? and for information on what a small company is, see Practice Note: What is a small company for the purposes of the distribution exemption?

The exemption

A dividend or other distribution is in an exempt class if the recipient:

  1. holds less than 10% of the issued share capital of the payer

  2. is entitled

Michael McGowan
Michael McGowan


Michael trained as a solicitor at Clifford Chance where he qualified as a tax lawyer in 1989. From then until the end of 2015, he worked as a corporate tax lawyer in a number of leading UK and US law firms (both in London and New York), spending 18 years as a tax partner at Allen & Overy, Shearman & Sterling LLP and latterly Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. He has worked on a very wide range of corporate, financing, fund formation and real estate transactions as well as representing clients in major tax disputes. He has acted as an expert witness in tax litigation and has written and lectured extensively. He teaches business tax law part-time at King's College, London.

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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
Key definition:
Distribution definition
What does Distribution mean?

In the Corporation Tax Acts (ctas) "distribution" means anything falling within of CTA 2010, s 1000.

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